ClapWhile there’s a lot of chaos going on towards the top of the Premier League table, it seems as if people are forgetting about the madness that is the relegation battle currently ongoing in England’s top flight.
We’d argue there are seven clubs that are still in the running for the drop between now and the end of the campaign, but some have suggested that the bottom three are so far off the pace that it seems unthinkable anyone else will fall into one of those slots.
Today, we’re going to try and unpack every factor behind this fascinating fight for survival.
14th – Wolves – 26 pts
The win over Arsenal gives Wolves some breathing space, but fans need to stop pretending like they’re guaranteed to survive this season. From the Black Country derby loss to some of Nuno’s managerial decisions, they aren’t out of the woods just yet.
15th – Brighton – 24 pts
Brighton are the form team down the bottom right now and they look set to climb further and further away from trouble as the season goes on, with their victory against reigning champions Liverpool reminding everyone what they’re capable of.
16th – Newcastle – 22 pts
Nobody wants to wish disaster on a team but with Steve Bruce at the helm, Newcastle supporters shouldn’t expect to be blown away anytime soon. The stature of their club should mean they’re constantly battling for a top half spot but instead, their play is incredibly uninspiring.
17th – Burnley – 22 pts
Burnley always seem to survive courtesy of Sean Dyche’s experience in getting them out of trouble, but relying on that reputation alone is risky. They can’t afford to get complacent because if they do, they could be dragged kicking and screaming into this mess.
18th – Fulham – 14 pts
Fulham went on a nice run a few weeks back but they appear to be right back at square one after being unable to build on their spirited performances against some of the league’s top sides. Now, we’re left to wonder if they’ve got anything left in the tank.
19th – West Brom – 12 pts
West Bromwich Albion fans will love that they were able to get one over on their old rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, but that’s probably going to be where the joy and satisfaction ends for them with not even Sam Allardyce being able to change the status quo at The Hawthorns.
20th – Sheffield United – 11 pts
Weirdly enough, Sheffield United are the only team in the bottom three showing any signs of life – which is bizarre given how woeful they were in the first half of the season. If they are able to stay up, it’ll be the most remarkable Great Escape the Premier League has ever seen.
Final Thoughts & Prediction
We do tend to believe Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United will all be relegated down to the Championship at the end of the season, but we do think the Blades will end up finishing 18th – missing out on survival by only a few points with Newcastle staying up in 17th.
